The applicants provide a mobile, filling and easily cleanable unit for the filling of containers with various fluid materials such as paint to a desired fill, whether determined volumetrically or by weight, which thereafter provides for moving the same to a remote cleaning area. By the user having at least two of such units, it should be obvious that one unit may be in use while the other is being cleaned and readied for operation. This will substantially reduce or virtually eliminate down time for the filling operation.
Not only paints, but various other materials require precise container filling to a specific weight or volume and this unit is useable for either requirement.
Applicants illustrate and describe a filling unit which provides for rapid flow of material during a first portion of the filling cycle with controls and associated equipment controlling material flow during a second portion of the filling cycle to reduce material flow for filling of the container to the desired weight or volume. Final or reduced flow is controlled through what is known as a dribble or slow flow rate valve which provides a substantially reduced flow rate to bring the delivered material precisely to the required weight or volume.
In the form illustated and described, the material flow sustem includes, at least, a manifold which permits filling one or a plurality of containers, a high rate of flow valve, a slow rate of flow valve and a final material discharge valve which may be operated below or above the surface of the material that has been delivered to the container and which will also provide reduced turbulence filling. This latter aspect is particularly important when filling containers with foamable products.
It is therefore an object of the applicants' invention to provide a filling and cleanable unit for the delivery of various liquids to a selected number of containers with the unit being easily moved from a filling area to a cleaning area.
It is a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a filling and cleanable, mobile unit, for the filling of paint cans and the like wherein a manifold is provided with at least a pair of discharge heads for filling at least a pair of containers.
It is still a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a filling and cleanable, mobile unit, for the filling of containers which includes a two step flow rate; the first such step being a rapid flow to reach a predetermined delivered level with the second step being a reduced rate of flow to bring the material delivered to a precise weight or volume.
It is still a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a filling and cleanable, mobile, container filling unit which includes a manifold having a plurality of discharges, each of which is provided with a shower-head valve unit which shower-head substantially eliminates material delivery turbulence and which is positively closeable when the material in the container reaches a predetermined desired weight or volume.
It is still a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a mobile, filling and cleanable container filling unit having a plurality of pneumatic, solenoid controlled valves for the discharge of material to a container wherein the pneumatic system is controlled by the solenoids, a load cell and peripheral equipment for sensing the weight of material delivered to the container including the allowance for the weight of the container.
It is still a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a mobile filling and cleanable container filling unit which is easily moved from the container filling area to an area for flushing and cleaning thereof with all of the valves being easily flushed and cleanable.
It is still a futher object of the applicants' invention to provide a filling and cleanable container filling unit having a vertically adjustable discharge which will permit above surface and below surface delivery of material.
These and other objects and advantages will more fully appear from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and description of the invention.